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Jessie J: I'll deliver gig to remember in Carlisle

Pop sensation Jessie J has said she is ready to give everything on stage when she returns to Carlisle to play a much-hyped show at the racecourse.

Jessie J

The superstar will perform in front of thousands of fans and promises to deliver a gig to remember tomorrow, with both classic hits and new songs.

In an exclusive interview, she told the News & Star: “What can they expect? High energy, giving everything on stage, lots of fun and getting the audience involved.

“I like to be interactive. When I was younger and going to shows, I liked singing along and making the artist know you are there. I want everyone to be part of it.

“I like to make sure I do things a bit different every time. I don’t want to just do the same gig over and over again, that’s just not me.”

The last time Jessie was in Carlisle was for the 2011 Big Weekend with Radio 1 – and she can still recall what she was wearing that day.

“I remember it was the first time I really wore hair extensions. I was wearing this black and white underwear dress and heels – I always remember my outfits,” she said. Since then her career has really taken off, with numerous hits under her belt, high profile collaborations and her much-hailed appearance as a mentor on The Voice.

Now she is about to take on America, flying out to the States the day after the Carlisle show to launch her new single Bang Bang.

But despite her fame, Jessie remains down to earth, and said she hasn’t really changed from the girl who rocked up at the Big Weekend, hot on the heels of her first chart hits Do It Like A Dude and Pricetag.

“I still feel like the same person. I still have the same points to prove and still feel like I need to make a person a fan, or a bigger fan.

“Especially at festivals and this type of gig where not everyone is there just to see you, I always want someone new to discover me.

“I always try to push the boundaries and have fun. These are the shows where you can really do that, you can test the water with something a bit different,” she added.

Having recently returned from the studio, Jessie is getting ready to launch her new material worldwide. And she promised Carlisle would get a taste of what’s to come. “I’ve got four new songs I’ll be playing – Keep Us Together is a love song, R&B, a kind of roof-down driving along track, Ain’t Been Done is summer-time pop, Sweet Talker is more dancy/dubstep, it’s a grower and there’s another called You Don’t Really Know Me.”

Despite being keen to show off her new material, she said she never tires of playing her previous hits.

“I still love them all – but every night I try and add something new or do it a bit differently. I feel like I want to give the audience that bit extra, something special. There are no rules, just whatever feels right,” she said.

Asked whether outdoor gigs like the Carlisle racecourse show are her thing, she joked: “Definitely – I sweat so much! Plus there’s something about just being outside, especially if it’s been a sunny day. The audience is in a good mood, they’ve had a dose of vitamin D and it’s just a good vibe. I’m really excited about Carlisle, it’s nice to be playing in the UK and I’ve got a great band.”

Following her city show, Jessie will be hitting the road for the foreseeable future so fans should relish the opportunity to see her up close.

“We don’t have any time off now until Christmas. My last holiday was New Year. People don’t realise that when you do a worldwide release you can’t just take a few days off.

“We have to work every day and we are doing it round the world, so when you’re asleep we’re there in another country performing, doing interviews, magazines, TV... it’s hardcore but it’s what I love.

“I can’t wait for people to hear my new music.

“This time I was only in the studio for four weeks recording, so anything I wrote I really felt the pressure to make it great really quickly.”

Although a talented song writer, she likes to collaborate and get input from others.

She co-wrote some new songs and had others written for her. “Even songs I didn’t write myself are important – it’s nice to have some fresh inspiration and try some melodies I maybe wouldn’t usually do.”

Jessie will take to the stage at about 6pm tomorrow following an afternoon of racing. She will perform on a giant temporary trackside stage.

Gates open at 12.10pm, with the first race at 2.10pm. The seventh and final race will be at 5.30pm.

More than 10,000 spectators saw the Kaiser Chiefs perform at the racecourse earlier this month.

Jessie’s new album will be released in the autumn, while the single with Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande is out in America next week.

The Brit Award-winner has sold more than 14 million singles and albums worldwide since her debut hit Do It Like A Dude in November 2010.

Her other top 20 UK hits include Nobody’s Perfect, Who’s Laughing Now, Laser Light, Who You Are, Wild and It’s My Party.

Tickets for tomorrow night’s event are available from www.carlisle-races.co.uk or on 0844 579 3002, priced £30 for adults or £15 for accompanied under-18s. A free shuttle bus service will run between Carlisle city centre and the racecourse, while parking at the site is free.